His Warmth
by Jamieeeee
Summary: Touken. Lots of Touken. M for adult scenes. Thanks for taking a look!
1. Chapter 1

Anteiku. Home of the peacekeeping ghouls of Tokyo's 20th ward. Among them, Kirishima Touka, known for her icy cold demeanor. She had a reputation for being one of the more dangerous ghouls that resided within the little coffee shop, one that showed no fear or hesitation. Kirishima Touka was currently snuggled up to her bunny rabbit pillow, on her dark purple polka-dotted bed sheets, studying for her upcoming exams.

"Shit." She muttered to herself, gazing at her papers and textbooks. She had taken a few days off from school and work to look after Hinami, who was orphaned after the death of her mother.

No, _murder._ Touka clenched her pencil suddenly, remembering that day under the bridge. The dove had nearly proven too much for her to handle, and if not for Hinami she most likely could've ended up dead.

 _And Kaneki._ _Don't forget him_ , Touka thought to herself. She exhaled and buried her face into her pillow. Touka didn't know what to think of Kaneki now. At first she had thought him weak and pathetic, a human forced into a ghoul's world. How angry she had been! That little runt had come begging for help from Anteiku, and acted like they were all monsters!

But he had changed, and changed fast. Before long he had befriended most of her fellow coworkers and even Hinami. Touka knew their bond was getting stronger by the day. She watched him sometimes, bringing books and newspapers for Hinami to read amd marveled at how quickly he adapted to their lives, living in constant fear of being attacked by Doves.

Touka sighed deeply and flipped over onto her back, gazing at the ceiling. What did she think of Kaneki now? She smiled softly, and felt a blush creeping onto her face. That idiot actually Kaneki treated her like a girl! Although she never would never let anybody know it, Touka loved Kaneki's innocence and naïvety. She loved how he sat and read his novels and scratched his cheek when he was embarrassed. She loved how he always smiled at her and called her Touka-chan.

"Ugh. What am I thinking?" Touka spoke aloud, clearing her thoughts. Kaneki could wait. Her studies were more important. She sat up and moved her papers to her desk, now determined to get her work done.

* * *

"Enjoy your coffee!" Kaneki smiled at his customers, then straightened up and looked around. It was almost time to close shop, and Touka still hadn't come down.

He leaned against the counter top and rested his chin in the crook of his elbow comfortably. He missed Touka-chan, having not seen her for a full three days now. He recalled Yoshimura telling him about her studies.

"Touka is studying very hard," the manager had said when Kaneki inquired as to where Touka was. "She has had a lot of catching up to do. She started school a few years later than her classmates."

"Oh... I see." Kaneki couldn't have kept the disappointment out of his voice. He liked Touka. Even though she was fairly mean to him, Kaneki could tell there was more to Touka than she lets on. Not to mention, he did find her extremely attractive. Her dark blue hair and rough attitude actually seemed to draw him in instead of pushing him away. He liked her eyes most of all. They betrayed a beautiful personality hidden behind a sharp tongue.

"Hmm," Yoshimura had replied with a faint smile. The old ghoul didn't miss much, his sense of perception aided by years of experience. "Why don't you go up and pay her a visit? I'm sure she wouldn't mind your company. Touka probably needs someone to talk to, being shut in her room for so long. You could also tutor her, if you'd like." The manager gestured upstairs, and smiled a little wider at Kaneki. "Enji and Irimi can close today. Go on, her room is the second one on the left."

"A-are you sure? Enji and Irimi closed yesterday, I wouldn't want to-" Kaneki bit off his own reply. He _did_ want to see Touka. "Okay. Thanks, Yoshimura-san!" Kaneki straightened up and started to head upstairs towars Touka's room.

* * *

"Fuck this." Touka swore quietly to herself. She pushed away the papers on her desk and lay her head down. Why couldn't she concentrate? She suddenly shivered, and her legs rubbed together subconsciously.

"Stupid Kaneki." Touka couldn't seem to get him out of her mind. Kaneki calling her Touka-chan, Kaneki smiling as he tousled her hair, Kaneki pulling her close and... and...

Touka felt her cheeks heat up. _Okay, I need this_ , she told herself. She fell gently onto her mattress and shrugged off first her jeans, then striped black and white panties. Spreading her legs, she let a finger wander down before letting out a soft moan.

Reaching up, Touka softly grabbed her breast and fondled herself, enjoying the feeling of being touched. She fell into a steady tempo, fingering herself with one hand while the other groped her chest.

"Haaa... Aaahn.." Her moans became louder and more frequent. Overcome with lust, Touka gasped out. "Kaneki... Hnngh! More! Haaagnh!" She felt herself reaching her climax and threw her head back...

...Just in time to meet a beet-red Kaneki Ken in the eyes, who had just opened the door after knocking three times without an answer.

His eyes were wide open, and his mouth moved without sound. His blush had rapidly overtook his normal skin tone. Kaneki looked, and felt, like he wanted to lay down and die.

"I'm so sorry! I-I didn't know you... I knocked before, I swear! Sorry!" Kaneki stammered out, before finding his common sense and turning his back before shutting the door.

Touka was frozen in sheer embarrassment. Coming out of her stupor, she sat up abruptly and reached down for her clothes, blushing furiously. _Why? Now, out of all possible times?!_

"You idiot!" Touka scolded herself, thrn bit her lower lip softly. She faintly heard the shop door opening and closing, and turned to look out the window just in time to see Kaneki walk jerkily out into the street, hood up over his head.

Mortified, Touka collapsed onto her mattress. She drew her legs into herself and hugged them, and felt another blush coming up against her will. "Bakaneki. How am I supposed to look you in the eyes tomorrow?"

Touka buried her face in her knees deeper, and resolved to figure out what to do in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Shit.

Touka cracked open an eyelid, letting the warm sunlight stream into her field of view. She lay in bed like that, refusing to move. She let out a yawn and closed her eyes again, shifting to find a more comfortable position. Touka enjoyed the soft fabric of her blankets before suddenly sitting bolt upright, fully awake.

 _Kaneki._

"Shit."

* * *

Unknown to her, Kaneki had said the exact same thing, getting dressed in his Anteiku uniform. He tugged the shirt over his head, and the vest around his torso. Turning to face the mirror in his bedroom, he carefully laid his tie around his neck and straightened it smoothly.

He walked over to the door to his apartment and methodically slipped on his black shoes. He stood up and leaned his forehead against the door, dreading the moment he walked in to the little coffee shop, something he'd never thought he'd worry about.

 _Touka._

"Shit."

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Kaneki opened the door to Anteiku, taking in the sight before him. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, cascading down onto the pristine tables and chairs. The faint sound of boiling water could be heard from the kitchen.

He spotted Enji and Irimi, lazily taking down the chairs and setting then up. Their good-natured banter reached Kaneki's ears easily. He smiled softly; they didn't seem to have heard him come in.

"There's no way! They definitely need more time. I'd say at _least_ three days before they actually get the ball rolling. Trust me, I have experience in these matters!" Enji gestured dramatically with one hand, and took down a chair with the other. "And if he needs any advice at all, I will be here for him. The Devil Ape of the 20th ward!" He finished his statement with an impressive flourish, neatly tucking in the chair underneath the table.

Irimi only scoffed and shot back, "Those days are _long_ past. And I wouldn't put too much trust in your "experiences". Even Hinami knows that there's something going on with those two, just from what happened yesterday. She's almost fifteen years younger than you, you old fart." Irimi took down a chair of her own.

Kaneki frowned. Nothing happened to Hinami yesterday. Who were Enji and Irimi talking about? Unless...

Kaneki flushed bright red, and sat down at a nearby table. _Do_ _they know?_ _That Touka..._

He turned even brighter and buried his head down. _I'm lucky I got here earlier than normal. There's still an hour before Anteiku opens._ That meant he could take some time and compose himself before Touka came down to work her shift.

 _Shit._

What would he say to her? What _could_ he say to her? Would she be angry at him? Most certainly, Kaneki decided. How could he look at her in the eyes after yesterday?

Kaneki sighed and rested his chin on his palm. He felt a small flutter in his chest, and couldn't stop a smile from escaping. Touka definitely thought of him as more than just a friend. But what could he say to her to let her know how he felt? It seemed to Kaneki that anything he could possibly say would end poorly.

Irimi finally turned and noticed Kaneki sitting by himself. She calmly gestured to Enji, who immediately shut his mouth and began a sentence on an entirely different topic.

"Morning, Kaneki! You're here rather early. How are you?" Enji walked over and sat in the chair across from Kaneki. He leaned back and relaxed, a kind smile on his face.

"Morning, Enji. I... couldn't seem to sleep last night, so I'm a little tired." Kaneki replied. "By the way, where are Renji and the manager?"

Enji smiled knowingly, and stroked his chin. "Yomo-san and Yoshimura-san are both out on an errand. Don't fear - they won't be gone long. As for the other thing..." Enji leaned in to make sure Irimi wasn't able to hear. "Make sure to take things slow, okay? There's a lot of things to ponder over in this life, and it certainly won't do to rush headlong into things. Wouldn't you agree?" He winked.

Kaneki just stared. Enji was talking about Touka, he was sure of it! How did they know?! He felt the blush creeping back onto his face and forced it back down. "Ahh, yeah! Of course!" Enji seemed satisfied with his answer, and leaned back again. "Um, Enji-kun, has Touka-chan come down yet?"

"Hmm, I don't recall seeing her come down. She is supposed to come in today, though. Never fear!" Enji suddenly held up a finger, and smiled broadly at Kaneki. "Speak of the devil! Here she comes now!"

Kaneki jerked his head up, heart racing. Sure enough, he heard footsteps on the wooden stairs. A foot, then a leg, then a torso, then Touka stepped down onto the coffee shop floor. Kaneki's breath caught in his throat.

She looked beautiful today, dark blue hair smoothly cradling her head. Her uniform hugged her body, accentuating curves Kaneki hadn't noticed before. Touka looked around slowly, appearing extremely composed considering the incident yesterday. Her facade broke when she locked eyes with Kaneki, her cheeks turning scarlet and biting her lower lip. She quickly looked away, and walked briskly into the kitchen to tend to the coffee.

Enji watched the exchange, enjoying it extremely. "Ahh, to be young again! You know what Kaneki, forget what I just said. Sometimes you need to take life by the reins. This is one of those times!" Enji nodded sagely. "Yes! And I, your faithful friend in this trying time, will help you! Irimi! We're low on coffee beans, would you mind coming with me to go get some more?" He called out, and winked at Kaneki.

Irimi appeared from around the corner. Confused, she inquiried, "Do you really need me to come with you? It's not at all far, you know. Couldn't..." Irimi caught on very quickly. She bit off her sentence, then spoke again, louder. "Yes, I suppose so. Our new supplier probably doesn't recognize you, anyway. Come on, then." She turned and walked out the front door.

"H-huh? Wait, Enji-kun!" Kaneki stammered out. Enji didn't respond, only flipped him a thumbs up as he exited the shop after Irimi. Kaneki groaned inwardly. Now what was he to do? The thought of being alone with Touka-chan both scared and excited him.

He looked towards the kitchen and saw Touka adamantly staring down at the mug of coffee she was brewing. She seemed to be purposely ignoring him. The only thing that gave her away was the light blush on her face.

Kaneki steeled himself, then stood up and walked over to where Touka was, behind the counter. Her eyes remained on the mug, her fingers wrapped around a spoon slowly stirring the creamy foam. She tensed as he neared her, and still refused to acknowledge him.

Heart in his throat, Kaneki opened his mouth and tried to think of something to say to her. Should he apologize? Should he tell her that he felt the same way? How?

Kaneki's mind failed him when he needed it most. He drew a blank, and stood there for a few seconds behind the girl who had captured his heart. Throwing caution to the wind, he spoke.

"Touka-chan." She stopped stirring, but didn't turn around to look at him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for yesterday, and I'm sorry for not telling you how I felt about you sooner." He moved closer, enough to feel her warmth and listen to her breathing. Each breath she drew was quick and shallow, bolstering Kaneki's courage enough to continue. "The truth is... I think you're beautiful. I think that you're amazing and strong and so very beautiful. I love the way the sunlight catches in your hair. I love the way you're fearless. I love the way you would defend your friends with your life - even me." Kaneki's voice dropped to a whisper now. He felt his face burning up, but needed to finish. He needed to let Touka know how important she was to him. "Touka-chan," he whispered into her ear, and he felt her shiver when he did so, "I... I lo-"

He cut off abruptly when Touka turned around to face him, face red as a tomato. She rested an arm on either side of Kaneki's neck, and smiled at him.

"Bakaneki." She leaned up on on her tip toes and kissed him.

Kaneki froze in shock for a split second before snaking his hands onto her waist and returning the kiss with enthusiasm. Touka melted in his embrace, and he heard her moan softly in the kiss before he lifted her up and placed her on the countertop. Her legs wrapped around him, pulling him close as her tongue explored his mouth.

Kaneki caressed her cheek as he kissed her, sucking on her lower lip before breaking for air. They gazed at each other, panting, before Kaneki leaned down and planted a trail of kisses on Touka's neck, eliciting a moan. She ran her hands through his hair before reaching down and unbuckling his vest, and slipping her hands under his shirt.

Kaneki, who had the same idea, already had Touka's dark uniform halfway off before a sudden noise caused both of them to freeze.

Someone was knocking on the door.

"Hey! It's already 8:40! Won't you _please_ open so I can get my coffee?"

Kabeki stared at Touka, who stared back. He smiled at her sheepishly before pulling away, and putting his vest back on. "We'll finish this later." He promised her, before heading to the door to greet their customers.


	3. Chapter 3

Gray. So gray, and so kind. Touka wanted to stay there forever, gazing into Kaneki's eyes. She marveled at the innocence and sincerity they held, especially for one who was thrust into the unforgiving world of a ghoul. He had definitely changed since she found him in that alleyway. Become stronger, more confident despite the struggles he had to endure. She had also changed, slowly being more tolerant and patient. _Shitty Kaneki._ Being around him must've rubbed off on her. Touka stared, mesmerized, lost in the moment.

She was also straddling Kaneki on her bed, who shifted nervously beneath her.

He seemed to have lost much of his initial confidence when he confessed to Touka. A light blush covered his cheeks, but he was determined to maintain eye contact.

"T-Touka-chan," he stammered out, "You're staring..." Kaneki trailed off, embarrassed.

They had closed shop just ten minutes prior. As soon as he flipped the sign to closed and shut the door, Touka had leapt on him and kissed him fiercely. Surprised, Kaneki had returned her enthusiasm after a second of shock. In between kisses, he picked her up bridal style to her bedroom upstairs, setting Touka down on the bed before she dragged him down and ended up in their current position.

"Bakaneki. How many times have I caught you staring at me?" Touka leaned down and rested her palms on his chest, admiring the firm muscle he had gained. He wasn't muscular, but wasn't skinny either. _I wonder what he looks like under that shirt..._ she mused, then felt heat rushing to her cheeks as she fully realized that she would soon."What about that time when you were staring and Nishiki caught you, and you dropped your coffee? Or when you were too busy looking and ran yourself into the wall?" She smirked now, enjoying watching Kaneki get more and more flustered. "How about when you were reading to Hinami and I came in to check on you, and forgot how to say 'cloud'? Hypocrite."

Touka started grinding on him, moving her hips in slow circles. She felt herself getting wet, aching for him to be inside of her. Kaneki let a quiet moan escape and moved his hands up to hold onto her waist, gently pulling her down closer to him.

"You noticed?" He gasped out, and Touka's blush deepened as she felt the his tip poke into her. She leaned closer, and whispered into his ear.

"I noticed. You always scratch your cheek when you're embarrassed." Touka revealed with a hint of amusement. Kaneki responded by bringing his hand up and cupping her cheek, and met her lips in a slow and lustful kiss. She nibbled on his lower lip, and felt his tongue exploring her mouth. It seemed to last forever, and as soon as she pulled back for air Kaneki planted a trail of soft bites along her neck.

She ran her hands underneath his shirt, and Kaneki raised his arms cooperatively when she lifted it above his head. Touka paused for a second to admire his defined abs, running a finger along the slopes and etched lines. _I got my wish._

Touka barely finished the thought when Kaneki suddenly flipped her over, twisting so he pressed down gently onto her body. He leaned down for another kiss and Touka complied, feeling the ache grow stronger as she realized distantly that his legs were between hers. Kaneki broke away, and before she could protest, he made his way down her torso and tugged on the hem of her shorts. She wriggled her hips, then flushed as he pulled them off her legs and gazed at her dark red panties.

"Don't stare, idiot," She started to say, before clamping her hand over her mouth. Kaneki had lightly run a finger along the inside of her thigh, making her shudder in anticipation. She held back a moan as he gently licked her pussy through the fabric, annoyingly teasing her. Kaneki noticed her reaction and continued, dragging his tongue in agonizingly slow circles.

Touka wanted to scream at him, but he was too busy tormenting her with soft touches and licks. She settled for crossing her arms and taking her shirt off, revealing her small but perky breasts. She reached up and fondled herself, playing with the nipple while her other hand remained firmly over her mouth. She didn't want Kaneki to see how crazy he was making her.

"Touka-chan, I'm taking your panties off now, okay?" He asked, pulling back and drawing a gasp from Touka that she couldn't hold back as the sensation of his tongue disappeared.

"Hurry up, Bakaneki." Was all she trusted herself to say. He smiled and tugged them down, tossing them aside as he looked upon Touka, naked and flushed before him. Kaneki wasted no time as he bent back down and pleasured her fully, tonguing and kissing her pussy. "Haaa... aah," Touka removed her hands from her mouth and ran them through Kaneki's hair, pressing his head deeper into her. She let the moans run freely now, as she enjoyed Kaneki's tongue in between her legs.

"Ngnnh!" Touka cried out, then came fiercely. Kaneki looked up into her eyes and continued his service, rubbing the top of her entrance in circles. He withdrew a little, and kissed her core, causing her to shudder and come a second time. Kaneki pulled back, her juices running down his chin. Touka was breathing heavily, legs still shaking from the pleasure he had inflicted.

Kaneki clumsily undid his belt and pulled down his trousers and boxers, his manhood erect and begging for attention. She was happy to oblige, crawling towards him on her hands and knees, taking him into her mouth. He let out a low moan as she looked up at him, sucking and twirling with her tongue. Kaneki pushed her hair out of her eyes, and titled his head back. He periodically let out gasps of pleasure as Touka bobbed up and down.

He felt himself nearing climax, and gently nudged Touka. "Not yet," he whispered to her, cheeks faintly red. "I want you."

She blushed furiously and looked away, then laid her back on the bed and spread her legs invitingly. The heat in her core was almost unbearable, she wanted him so bad. Kaneki placed an arm on either side of her body and positioned himself towards her entrance. He paused, then looked at Touka mischievously. "Touka-chan, what do you want me to do?"

"Haah.. Kaneki, please, just.." She trailed off in embarrassment, hands over her eyes. Kaneki rubbed his tip on her entrance slowly, drawing out pants and gasps from the mortified Touka beneath him.

"Can't hear you, Touka-chan." He smiled, feeling uncharacteristically bold. Then he remembered he was teasing Touka, and that she would be twice as likely to punch him and break a rib than admit she wanted him. Kaneki suddenly felt a lot less sure about this.

Much to his relief, the next words that came out of Touka's mouth were exactly the ones he wanted to hear. "Kaneki... I want you to fuck me." She seemed surprised by her own choice of words, and as soon as the last syllable exited her mouth she blushed and looked at him pleadingly.

Kaneki leaned down and kissed her softly, and at the same time pushed himself inside her. Touka moaned into his mouth as she felt him, and kissed him with renewed vigor. He started to move his hips, thrusting in and out at a steady tempo. The erotic sound of flesh against flesh was audible even as Touka broke the kiss to gasp and moan out in pleasure.

He reached up and squeezed one of her breasts lightly, keeping the other hand on her waist. Kaneki dipped his head and took her nipple in his mouth, stimulating it with his tongue even as he pumped into her.

"Aaahn! Haa!" Touka cried out, overwhelmed by ecstasy. She pulled his hair, yanking his head up. Before Kaneki could voice his surprise. she smothered his mouth in hers, entwining their tongues once again. She felt herself coming yet again, and desperately probed his mouth as her lower walls squeezed tight onto him. Kaneki moaned deeply and came at the sudden pressure on his manhood, emptying himself into her as he pushed deep into her core.

Touka threw her head back in a silent gasp as she rode out the last of her orgasm, and at the same time enjoying his warmth. Kaneki collapsed on top of her, putting weight onto his forearms to support himself. He met her eyes and smiled, enjoying what he had done to her. Touka's mouth was half open, tongue hanging out. An expression of lust and satisfaction were etched on her face.

"Touk-ah!?" He left her name unfinished as she threw him onto his side, climbing on top of him. Touka was straddling him again, and aligned herself on top of his cock as she prepared for round two. She reached down and guided him towards her entrance, closing her eyes as she felt him inside her again. Touka slowly slid down his shaft, until he was fully buried in her. Placing both palms on his chest to steady herself, she began to move her hips up and down, releasing moans every time she impaled herself on him.

"Haah.. Nngh..." Touka felt Kaneki's hands on her waist, pulling her deeper onto him as he also began to thrust upwards, matching her rhythm. She felt the incredible sensation of being filled up again and again. His hands found their way to her ass, and he tentatively squeezed and began to knead her cheeks, spreading her wider.

Touka melted into him and kissed him yet again, wondering how she never got tired of his taste. Their tongues danced in each other's mouths as Touka slammed her hips onto his, satisfying her ache for him.

Kaneki abruptly stopped moving, then upped the tempo of his stokes, pounding into her roughly. The combination of his lips, his hands and his cock was too much for Touka, who clenched her walls tight as she came, drenching him with her juices. Kaneki, who was on the verge himself, let go as he felt her squeezing down onto him and filled her up even more.

She sank into his chest, and felt his arms go around her protectively. He was still inside of her, relishing the way she felt. He kissed her cheek and whispered int oher ear, "I love you, Touka."

"Idiot." she replied simply. Kaneki tensed up, expected to be hit, but none came. Instead he found that she had rested her head on his shoulder and quickly fell asleep, contentment obvious. He smiled a little, then rolled her off of him, pulling out of her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, taking in her scent and being comforted by her presence. He relaxed, then soon followed Touka into sleep.

Yeah, she loved him too.


	4. Chapter 4

Why was it so warm?

Touka pressed her face deeper into her pillow. Yeah, it definitely was a lot warmer than she remembered. She racked her half-asleep brain, trying to think of any changes she had made. Last week she got new pillows. A couple months before that, a new mattress. That must've been it.

But that didn't explain why they were so firm. Maybe it was the memory foam. Maybe they somehow stiffened up in the wash.

Either way, she decided that it wasn't so bad. Her head straight up sunk through her previous, softer pillows anyway. It was like resting on nothing at all. At least now she had something solid.

Touka lazily ran a hand down the pillow, eyes still closed. It felt comfortable. Relaxing, in a way. This one had a drastically different texture, for some reason. Less like a pillow and more like...

She suddenly became aware of the hand caressing her shoulder. Became aware of the way her right leg coiled around his. Became aware of the fact that she didn't have pajamas on.

Oh.

"Morning, Touka-chan." She heard him chirp out annoyingly. How did he know she was awake? It irritated her, not being to hide even the smallest things from him.

"Shut up, idiot." Touka lashed back. She wasn't a morning person. Being naked and alone with him didn't change that. "Don't move. Let me fall back asleep." She exhaled slowly, sinking into his body. Why was he so goddamn comfortable?

Kaneki shyly slid his hand down her shoulder, bringing her closer. He greatly enjoyed having her so close like this, but decided against voicing it.

It seemed that Touka would need a while to fully wake up, and her desire to murder everything to fully tilted his head to the side so that he was resting against the top of hers, not minding when she stiffened and then uncoiled slowly.

"I said don't move." Touka scolded him again, but this time with a hint of contentment. It was like taking a bath in the warmest, most relaxing water. She felt herself drifting back off into sleep, safely cuddled in his arms.

Kaneki heard her breathing change into a slow and steady rhythm. Sleep had overtaken her much faster than he had expected, compared to the past three times she had woken up in the past hour, disoriented, and fallen back asleep. This was the first time she had spoken, though, or even realized he was there.

There were a few problems presented to Kaneki. As much as he liked cuddling Touka, he still had to come downstairs eventually. How was he supposed to extricate himself from this situation? What would his coworkers say if they saw him coming out of Touka's room? What would he tell Hinami? Did Enji and Irimi expect this?

He sighed, at a loss for what to do. He glanced down at Touka's face. She looked adorable when asleep. She had a cute way of breathing, inhaling through the nose and exhaling with a little puff through the mouth.

As he watched, she shifted slightly and whispered faintly, "Bakaneki." Then she smiled, pleased with herself.

Kaneki sighed again. At least someone was enjoying themselves.

* * *

Another hour passed before Kaneki finally managed to free himself from Touka's embrace without awakening her.

He quickly pulled on his clothes, not bothering to smooth the wrinkles and ruffles out. Kaneki hoped Yoshimura wouldn't be too displeased. Two hours late to work wasn't that much, right?

He stepped outside, gingerly closing the bedroom door behind him. A quick glance to his left and right told him nobody had seen him. Kaneki exhaled, relieved, and started to make his way downstairs.

There were a lot of customers today. Many of the tables were occupied, by ghouls and humans alike. _Probably a good thing_ , Kaneki thought. More work meant less time for questions about what he had been up to.

"Ah, Kaneki!" Enji nimbly maneuvered between the tables and playfully hit his shoulder. "You're late today. For a good reason, I'd assume?" He leaned closer, and grinned broadly. "Well, how was it? I was right, wasn't I?"

Kaneki reddened and leaned back. He shook his hands, gesturing frantically. "U-um, Enji, I don't know what you're talking about! See, I actually got to work early today to help T-Touka-chan study. That's why I came downstairs late." He felt himself floundering for words to say. Enji didn't seem to buy it, though.

With every half-assed sentence that came out of Kaneki's mouth, his grin widened. "I-I don't suppose you know where the manager is? I need to speak with him!" Kaneki desperately tried to change the subject.

"Oh? Just tutoring, hmm?" Enji sniffed Kaneki swiftly, making sure to hide it from the customers in the shop. "I seem to recall that tutoring involved not smelling as if you rubbed the other person all over you."

Nishiki chose that moment to walk over, hands in his pockets. "You're late, Kaneki. You know I had to cover for you, right? Pain in the ass." He had the trademark Nishiki scowl across his face. "The manager should be pissed. He's too soft on you. Where's your uniform? And why do you smell like...?"

His scowl faltered. It was replaced by a smirk as he leaned over and tugged on Kaneki's cheek roughly. "I see! Looks like little Kaneki and Touka are growing up!"

Kaneki couldn't get a single word out. Enji and Nishiki had bulldozed straight over him. Was he really that transparent?

He had just opened his mouth to try to deny it further when Touka stepped down the stairs. She wore her Anteiku waitress uniform, perfectly smoothed out. It was as if nothing had happened last night. Except...

Just above her collar was a prominent love bite, leading to two more a little above.

"What are you staring at, idiot?" Touka spat out at Nishiki, who was obviously trying to smother his shit-eating grin as she approached.

Enji had wisely decided to leave, abandoning Nishiki to deal with the now-awake Touka. He veered off, making a beeline to a table to take their order. Irimi quietly watched the spectacle from behind the counter, brewing coffee at the same time.

"Finally come down then, brat? A little late, isn't it?" Nishiki wasted no time starting off his daily argument with Touka. It had become a routine at this point, the employees at Anteiku listening in amusement to their insults and curses throughout the day. "You have responsibilities now, little Touka. Part of the deal when growing up."

"Like you would know about responsibility, shithead. All you do is romp around with your human, fucking sex addict." Touka as usual. Going straight for the jugular. Kaneki saw Irimi out of the corner of his eye dip her head to conceal her laughter.

Nishiki didn't seem too fazed, however. He raised an eyebrow and retorted, "Sex addict? Well, I suppose you're right in some regard. But..." He leaned in and inhaled deeply, like he had with Kaneki. Touka recoiled, not expecting it. "You smell more of Kaneki than you do yourself. Try to find a better time to fuck your boyfriend, I'm the one covering both your shifts. Or, at least do it faster." He tapped the side of his neck, parallel to where her love bites were. "You have something right here, brat."

Touka flushed scarlet, at a loss for words. She stepped closer to Kaneki as if to ask for support, but it only served to further confirm what the others thought. Nishiki smirked again, and sauntered off. Kaneki was left with an embarrassed Touka pressed to his side.

"S-sorry..." He smiled sheepishly and scratched his cheek. "I tried to tell them, but it was no use. I guess it could've been worse?"

Touka exhaled softly and looked up at him. "It could've been worse." She smiled shyly, completely unlike her. "You're really comfortable, you know." Touka whispered as she leaned up quickly to peck him on the lips, before walking off into the kitchen.

Kaneki was left standing there, burning up even from that slight touch. He'd get her back later.


	5. Chapter 5

Touka leaned comfortably against his shoulder, tilting her head back to rest. She peeked at what he was doing, and sure enough, had his nose buried in a book. She thought it was cute how he focused so intently on his novel, completely absorbed in the story. He sometimes furrowed his eyebrows, sometimes smiled.

Kaneki shifted slightly, nudging her head into the crook between his shoulder and neck. He placed her head on hers, enjoying the feel of her so close.

It was bright and sunny outside, sunlight filtering in through the windows to beam down gently on the couple. It was extremely relaxing, basking in the reassurance of having nothing to do.

The past couple of days had been wild. Touka traded insults with Nishiki even more than usual, whilst Kaneki had to endure the endless teasing the others gave him. Irimi and Enji were the worst, seemingly delighted to give Kaneki advice whenever they thought necessary.

Irimi was the more subtle one, quietly giving him pointers on cute things she somehow knew Touka would enjoy. Just this morning she had received a single rose, waiting for her outside her door. Touka never let her soft side show through, but a feeling of happiness had washed through her as she picked it up.

The rose now sat in a glass vase, a gift from Yoshimura that she thought she'd never have use for. It seemed she was learning new things about herself all the time.

Enji was far less discreet. He found great amusement in calling out to Kaneki loudly about Touka, especially when there was customers in the shop. "Kaneki!" he had shouted yesterday, seemingly oblivious to the stares he attracted. "I found something Touka-chan would like!" Kaneki wilted into himself, wanting to crawl into a hole and die. Enji held up a scarf embroidered in pink and purple and white.

Kaneki secretly planned to ask for stitching lessons. He thought Touka would like a more personal design, and so he wanted to knit small rabbit faces along the scarf. It had occurred to him that she was too tomboyish for that, but eventually pushed those thoughts away as he pictured giving her the scarf and seeing the expression on her face. That made it all worth it to Kaneki.

Nishiki struck a fine balance between Enji's boldness and Irimi's quiet authority. He somehow knew the exact moment to strike at Touka, the exact moment to make her as flustered as possible. Nishiki boasted a wide array of creative insults, and was unafraid to use them. Touka sometimes wondered how Kimi stayed with him and his foul mouth. Opposites attract?

Just like her and Kaneki. She pressed herself deeper into his neck, snuggling him. They were polar opposites. Kaneki was so nice, caring, sweet. He brought out her inner self, and she loved him for it. Nobody else was capable of doing it.

In contrast, she was bold and sharp-tongued. She admired how Kaneki could stand her for so long. Then it struck her that they mirrored Kimi and Nishiki. They brought out the best in each other.

"What are you reading today, bookworm?" Touka inquired. She watched as he went on to ignore her and continue reading. She smiled. Kaneki had a tendency to tune everything out when absorbing words from pages. She decided to poke him in the ribs, before changing her mind mischievously and reaching up to lick and nibble at his ear.

Sure enough, it worked. Kaneki flushed and dropped his book, and turned to look at her. "Touka-chan?" She grinned at him playfully and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into to him. "What was that for?" He intertwined his fingers with hers lazily.

"Idiot. You spend so much time with your nose buried in that book." She studied his fingers, feeling his skin. His hands were slightly larger than hers, and softer. They were the hands of a thinker, not a fighter. Touka liked that about him. He was a ray of innocence and peace. She squeezed lightly, and he squeezed back in return.

"S-Sorry..." Kaneki smiled at her sheepishly, then rotated his torso so that he faced her. "But, Touka-chan, this book is really good!" His eyes lit up like they always did when he started talking about a book. "Takatsuki Sen is really amazing! I thought the Black Goat's Egg was great, but this? The complexity of the characters, their personalities..." He gestured to the novel in his lap.

Touka smirked. When Kaneki got to talking about books, it quickly became apparent how passionate he was. At first she had thought it annoying, but grew to enjoy listening to him ramble about the words that flowed off the pages. She liked the gleam in his eyes as he leaned forward and spouted off about Takatsuki Sen and her works.

Kaneki seemed to realize what he was doing. He trailed off, mouth still half open from an unfinished sentence. No doubt about to further explain the admiration he held for his favorite author. Kaneki pulled back and scratched his cheek in embarrassment, before leaning back in and taking her lips in his.

She was caught off guard, but didn't take long for her to respond enthusiastically. His taste was always perfect, a mix of salty and sweet. Kaneki ran a hand through her hair, and she sucked on his lower lip in return. She felt her body heat up.

Touka suddenly felt eyes on her and Kaneki, and as she pulled away reluctantly, she saw Enji flash her a thumbs up from behind the counter. Irimi smiled and gave her a slight nod as she walked past, serving coffee to the customers, some of which also watched the couple in amusement.

"Why'd you do that?" She hissed at him, mortified. "Everyone's staring..." Touka glanced around, spotting Nishiki in the very back of the shop. Luckily. he hadn't seem to have noticed. The last thing she wanted was to have an argument with Nishiki with so many people around.

"You started it, Touka-chan." Kaneki replied simply, before placing his hand on her cheek and kissing her again. Touka moaned into his mouth, not caring that they were making out in public anymore. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rose up on her knees so that they could kiss better.

Kaneki was the one to pull away this time, drawing out a quiet moan of disappointment from Touka. She was panting from the contact, cheeks red and eyes glazed. She tried to lean in to kiss him again, but he deftly moved to the side to whisper in her ear, "You're really comforable, you know."

And with that, Kaneki stood up with his book, flashed her an evil grin, and left to help Enji in the kitchen.

Touka sat numbly on the bench, still high on lust. _Shitty Kaneki!_ How could he just leave her like that? She wanted him now. How was she supposed to focus on work anymore?

"What are you staring at? Shouldn't you be working, lazy brat?" Nishiki's voice floated over the background chatter in the shop. She looked up to see him standing over her, apparently ready to argue. "What's the matter? You're not daydreaming, are you?" He flicked her forehead with his index finger. "'Ooh, Kaneki! Right there...!'" He said in a surprisingly good mockery of Touka.

She grit her teeth, feeling anger wash through and drown out the lust. Clenching her fists, she opened her mouth to spit back at him.

In the corner, serving customers, Irimi sighed inwardly. There they went again.


	6. Chapter 6

"...oh. Okay, I guess."

Kaneki stared numbly at his apartment complex across the street. He was completely drenched; it had been raining ferociously for the past four hours and it didn't seem to be letting up soon. The call ended with an abrupt click, and he slid his cellphone down and into his pocket. The pitter patter of rain sounded on the top of the pavement.

What terrible luck. He had totally forgotten that today was the day they fumigated his apartment. His upstairs neighbors had a particularly bad infestation, and upon discovering that the insects had spread throughout almost half the building, it was scheduled to be shut down for cleaning. Today was also the day he had planned to finish up the scarf for Touka. It sat snugly in the bottom of his backpack. Hopefully the rain hadn't reached it.

As Kaneki turned away, his phone hummed in his pocket. Two messages from Hide sat on the screen, one in all caps.

 _WAIT! HOW CAN U GO HOME?! U SAID FMGATIN 2DAY_

The second one was calmer.

 _also u left wallet at shop lol retard. ur gf has._

Kaneki groaned. With the streetlights illuminating his surroundings, it didn't appear to be so late. He glanced at the time, which read 11:24 PM. Well. He was stranded, alone in the dark and cold night, without anyone to-

 _hey. isn't your apartment getting cleaned 2day? where are you staying?_

Touka's text flashed briefly on his phone before being replaced by another one.

 _also i have your wallet. be more careful_

Kaneki smiled and tapped back a reply.

 _stuck out here. forgot._

He hit send, then sent another one.

 _help?_

The phone reentered the warmth of his pocket as he waited for a response. Looking around, he took in his surroundings. Rain still fell down in huge torrents, making it very difficult to see. He faintly made out the silhouettes of people scurrying to escape the downpour.

It wasn't long before he felt his phone vibrate again.

 _you can stay with me tonight. come to store_

Kaneki felt his heart flutter a bit. Any night he could be alone with Touka was a good night, rainy or not. He turned and walked to the store.

* * *

Touka opened the door to Anteiku to a drenched Kaneki waiting gloomily. He hair was plastered down over his face, the rain soaking through his hoodie to run down his head. Upon seeing Touka, his face lit up in a smile and he moved to hug her in greeting. She stuck her arm out to repel him, noting the drops of rainwater he sprayed as he stepped inside.

"Not so fast. Clothes off." Touka commanded, gently pushing him away. She couldn't have him tracking in water and mud all over the floors. Kaneki raised an eyebrow, and began to take off his sopping jacket. Touka blushed as she realized what she sounded like. "I meant - the shop'll - not here!" She stuttered out.

Kaneki stripped down surprisingly fast, gathering up his wet clothes in his arms. Touka caught herself staring at him and sheepishly looked away. "Wait here, I think I have some clothes that'll fit you." She disappeared up the stairs to go rummage through her wardrobe.

Dumping his clothes in the washing machine, Kaneki leaned into the couch with a sigh of relief. It had been a long walk. Luckily the rain seemed to have spared his boxers, which remained relatively dry.

Touka emerged from the upstairs a few minutes later, carrying a bundle of cloth. "Sorry, none of my shorts will fit you. I do have a few shirts though..." She looked embarrassed, and as Kaneki took the topmost shirt off the pile he could see why. A cute purple rabbit lay on the front of it, returning his stare happily. Kaneki couldn't help a laugh and looked up at Touka, who looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"I didn't know you had shirts like these, Touka-chan." Kaneki teased. "Why don't you wear them?"

Red-faced, she scowled at him and snatched the shirt back. "If you don't want it, fine." Touka moved to turn away.

"Wait, Touka-chan!" He reached out and caught her hand, pulling her back. "Sorry! I..." He trailed off as he looked into Touka's eyes. Kaneki thought she was cute when she was flustered. He pictured her wearing the bunny shirt and another snicker escaped his mouth.

Touka glared daggers at Kaneki and shoved him in the chest, pushing him back into the couch and driving the wind out of him. As he recovered, she leapt onto his lap to straddle him and cocked her fist back. Before she could sink it into his gut, Kaneki roped an arm around her neck and pulled her head down to meet his. They were eye to eye, close enough to touch foreheads.

"Sorry," Kaneki murmured, staring into her eyes. She melted under his gaze. "I just think you'd look adorable in themmmpfh!" He was cut short as Touka pressed her lips to his, closing her eyes. She ran her hands down the front of his chest, and in response Kaneki slid his down to her waist.

Touka swayed her hips side to side on his lap, drawing out a groan from the still-winded Kaneki. He found his way up under her shirt and slid it off before pausing at her dark blue bra. "Wait... not here," He gasped, out of breath. "Your bed. Upstairs."

"Now." Touka stated firmly. Kaneki couldn't find the willpower to resist, and allowed himself to unhook her bra. She stepped back off of him to take her shorts off, and he did the same. As soon as her panties touched the floor, Touka was back on top of him, rubbing against his lap.

"All this over a shirt?" Kaneki inquired cheekily, in between kisses. He moved her hips over, and positioned himself at her entrance. Touka let out a moan and sank down just a little bit, teasingly.

"Shut up and fuck me." was her response. Kaneki pulled her down onto him.

Outside, the rain still fell.

* * *

"You're here early, Kaneki." Nishiki stated flatly as he walked through the Anteiku door. Kaneki simply nodded. It was 6:00 AM, and he was exhausted, not having gotten much sleep. "What's the matter? Girl problems?" He walked over to a table and began to put the chairs down.

Kaneki smiled. "Far from it."

 **a/n Very sorry for inconsistent updates! I've been very busy in the past week or so, but I'll still try to update this as much as I can! ^^**


	7. Chapter 7

"What the hell?"

Kaneki swore under his breath. It wasn't like him to do so, but the intricate stitches that he was currently attempting frustrated him more than he would've thought possible. The scarf Enji had shown him laid on the table before him, stretched out so Kaneki could see the design. In his hand was a piece of fabric very much like that scarf, but with cute bunny faces polka dotting along the length.

It had taken Kaneki a ridiculously long amount of time to learn how to stitch. Fortunately for him, Enji had seemingly limitless patience as he instructed him, in secret, how to weave his needle through the strands of fabric. Their sessions were often brief and sporadic, as Kaneki only came to Enji for help when he knew for certain that his girlfriend wouldn't find them.

His girlfriend. He liked the sound of that. A lot.

They took great care to hide what Kaneki was doing from Touka. Enji was unexpectedly good at keeping a secret, based on how he acted before around the couple when they were together. He acted with such genuineness whenever Touka asked him where her boyfriend was disappearing to that even Kaneki believed him.

Yoshimura and Irimi were also trusted with Kaneki's secret. They gave him knowing smiles whenever they thought Touka wasn't looking, which infuriated her to no end when she caught them.

"What? What is it? Is there something going on?" Touka had scowled one night after closing. She had been more inattentive than usual to Anteiku's customers, instead choosing to focus on the interactions between Kaneki and the rest of the staff.

"Hmmm? What do you mean?" Enji had been the first to respond. His quick wit had saved their secret operation on more than one occasion. "What's going on?"

"Is there something up with Kaneki? How come you guys grin like monkeys whenever you see him?" Touka knit her brows and tightened her lip. She was mad much less frequently now that she had started dating Kaneki, but an angry Touka was hardly something to scoff at.

Nishiki had chosen this moment to saunter over, finished with his side of the shop. He was the only one Kaneki didn't tell, as he feared that during his arguments with Touka he'd let something slip. It wasn't a risk that Kaneki was willing to take. "Huh? You didn't know?" Nishiki's mouth formed into a smirk as he pretended to be in the loop. "Poor Touka. Poor, poor Touka. It's a shame, really." He leaned against the counter lazily, observing her reaction.

"What? You know something? Spit it out, shithead." She turned on him, her anger only increasing. Nishiki had that effect on her.

"I really shouldn't be telling you. But, as you might've guessed, it's about your boyfriend. Kaneki." He turned his head and closed his eyes, feigning an air of disinterest. One eye cracked open a tiny bit. "He's done something really terrible this time. Really, really terrible. I'm so sorry."

As Touka began to swear at him, Enji had turned to Irimi and shrugged. _It was gonna happen,_ he mouthed to her. Irimi replied with an exaggerated facepalm, thankfully unnoticed by the enraged Touka. They had continued putting up chairs over the cacophony Touka and Nishiki created.

Kaneki let out a sigh of relief as he finished the bunny. He set the half finished scarf down on the table and flexed hands over his head, stretching his arms. He was proud of the work he had done so far, knitting a new scarf from scratch. It looked almost as good as the original.

He stood up out of his chair, leaning his head from side to side to relax his stiffened muscles. A quick glance at the clock read 1:27 AM, far too late considering that it was a Monday tomorrow and he had work. He took out his phone, sending Touka a quick message.

 _night night. sweet dreams, I love you_

The response was almost instantaneous.

 _nerd. stop bothering me._

He smiled at her next one.

 _I love u too._

Kaneki flipped the switch and slipped under the covers, the mattress providing immense relief. He smiled despite himself, thinking about the look on Touka's face when he finally gave his present to her.

Sleep came easily that night.

 **a/n: been a loooong time. I've been so busy that I had forgotten I wrote this. hopefully school will have mercy on me and I'll be able to update as much as I want. very very sorry!**


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